Elephant seals in Antarctica are a unbelievable sight to behold on any trip to Antarctica and one of the region’s most distinctive and recognisable species. One in every of our favorite species is the Elephant Seal, listed below are some fun info about these magnificent creatures and the environment they inhabit. An Antarctic cruise is an icy safari, with many alternative species of animals to observe. Females are smaller and weigh round 7 - 800 kg. An grownup male Elephant seal can weigh up to five tonnes and measure as much as six and a half metres! Elephant seal babies when born weigh around 50 kilograms. Inside three months they are going to weigh 150kg! Pups are generally born from September to October when their mothers come ashore at their berthing beaches across the continent. The gestation interval for a female Elephant seal is 9 months. Elephant seals are extremely social animals and kind giant groups or harems for a month throughout the breeding season. Elephants seals are among the most important carnivores on the planet eating squid and fish as the primary sources of meals of their food regimen, and have been measured diving as much as as much as 2000m deep and can hold breath for up to 2 hours! Sexual dimorphism is a physical difference between the male and feminine of a species. Males could also be up to ten times the burden of reproductive females. Elephant seals could be found throughout the Antarctic region, but are most prevalent around the Antarctic Peninsula and sub-Antarctic islands. They were hunted for his or her blubber during stuffed elephant toy the sealing days. Only 2 - 3 % of male Elephant seals actually breed. London alone used 20,000 tonnes of elephant seal oil to light the city a year. These animals have grown from a small group of animals, and do lack genetic range, so there are still issues over the long run of these animals. Nevertheless, from a small group of animals left, there at the moment are an estimated inhabitants of 150,000 which dwell mainly across the Baja Gulf in Mexico and on the shores of Southern California, USA. Their primary predator is the Orca, and within the northern most a part of their vary.. Large sharks. Leopard seals have also been known to attack and kill stray younger. They're referred to as elephant seals attributable to quite a few causes, partly because of their measurement and in addition partly because of the male snout or trunk that inflates to impress and intimidate rivals when competing with different males for his harem. The depth and volume of the sound is a demonstration to others how powerful he is, and thus so avoids fights with competing males. The trunk is inflated with air which is inhaled and thus a loud bellowing sound is produced. Benefit from the majestic Elephant seal on a cruise to Antarctica, however keep your distance - regardless of their size they can transfer quick on land, and are extremely aggressive when protecting their territory and young. Generally they aren't afraid of man, nevertheless if disturbed while resting, reproducing or marking territory they can be a distinct proposition. Keep clear as per most wildlife you encounter in your cruise. Despite as soon as being on the endangered list, as a result of safety of the Antarctic treaty, the Southern Elephant seal is not in any speedy danger. Because of Dr Mikolaj Golachowski for helping put this collectively. However, over-fishing of Antarctic waters and human actions might sooner or later see some points with their native habitat. Dr. Miko was a lecturer on-board our final PinkTarctica Antarctic expedition to the Peninsula and is a number one professional on Elephant seals and their behaviour. Dr. Mikolaj is a native of Poland, and was base commander of the Polish base on the Antarctic Peninsula for several seasons.
